


Adventures of Tiny Dragon Tony and His Treasure (Loki)

by BennyBatch



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Dreams, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Dragon Tony Stark, Established Relationship, FrostIron - Freeform, Jealous Tony Stark, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Mild Blood, Mildly Suggestive, Napping, Protective Tony Stark, Tony is tiny, just cuteness, more characters to arrive at later date, no plot here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2019-10-15 18:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 19,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17533676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BennyBatch/pseuds/BennyBatch
Summary: I don't have time to write full length fanfics so I want to compile a collection of snapshots into the lives of tiny dragon Tony and his ever sweet yet mischievous lover Loki.Notes for collection as a whole:I've decided to make this a multiple chapters piece rather than part of a series for ease of readability (ie being able to go from one snapshot to the next and so I can keep everything in one place as an author).This is not canon (obviously). Tony is still "human," though Loki now often finds him in his dragon form. Chapters will vary POV but will most likely remain fluffy and domestic (because I love that kind of thing). If anyone has a suggestion for something you'd like tiny dragon Tony to do just let me know (or even just leave a kind message ;3)





	1. Snapshot #1: What in the couch?

**Author's Note:**

> Notes for chapter 1:  
> Come see the adventures of tiny dragon Tony as he delves into the bowels of his living room couch in search of lost treasures!

Loki stretches with a soft groan. The movie wasn’t bad, though not as thought-provoking or exciting as Tony had made it out to be before they made a pact to watch all the Star Wars movies together. It was a crime against humanity, apparently, that Loki had yet to see at least one of them after all the time they had spent together on Midgard.

A soft grunt to his left has Loki turning his head. The bowl of popcorn, now tipped on its side, partially hides a small, lithe body from view. Loki watches with a fond sort of expression as the little creature wriggles his way between the cushions of the couch. His scaled tail, nearly five inches in length and coming to a delicately tapered point, whips the air as he claws deeper and deeper, sharp talons popping through the couch’s grey cloth. After a few moments of whooshing and quiet ripping, the tail droops in apparent dismay and Loki, the quirk of his lip the only indication of his growing amusement, asks the small dragon, “And what are you searching for this time, Anthony?”

Instead of responding, Tony just sinks farther into the depths of the cushions until only the golden tip of his tail remains visible. Smiling, Loki flicks it until it, too, disappears. He leans over and peers into the crease, but the cushions had already sealed shut. Tony would have been completely hidden if not for the obvious bump he made as he frantically bounced around every dip, corner, and crevice of the couch.

“You know I can’t help you find what you’re looking for if you don’t at least tell me what you’re looking for.”

Tony stills, and Loki can sense the sadness radiating from him even before he pokes his head out from between the cushions. Green eyes meet glistening brown and a sound of anguish escapes Tony as he pulls himself free.

_They’re…gone…They’re all gone!_

“What’s gone?”

_Your gifts – the coins! Gone – gone! Lost, I’ve lost –_

Tony’s crimson wings arch and beat the air and smoke billows from his nostrils, tendrils curling around his face to follow along the sharp lines of two deep maroon horns neatly situated on the top of his head. Loki inhales, smelling campfire, and reaches out to place a gentle hand on Tony’s back. Fragile spines press against his palm.

“Be still, Anthony. I know where your coins are, or, at least, I believe I do.”

Tony freezes, looking up at Loki expectantly. Loki’s attempts to maintain a neutral expression under such a gaze fail and a smile spreads across his face as he strokes a thumb over Tony’s warm cheek.

“Bruce mentioned this morning that he had felt something lumpy in the couch and that he took care of it.” Loki laughs. “I didn’t know you kept your coins here, otherwise I would have told him to leave them. Here.”

Tony leans into Loki’s touch as he speaks but soon begins to practically vibrate as Loki conjures up a decorative bowl filled to the brim with ancient Asgardian coins. Their glow, reflecting a Bifrost of color in the depths of Tony’s dark eyes, is soon smothered by the dragon’s scarlet body as Tony curls up among them, wriggling until his body is fully covered by them. Loki carefully settles the bowl, and Tony, in his lap and smiles as Tony starts to purr. Petting his horns and picking up the remote, Loki asks, “Now that you’re finally settled, do we have to watch episode V or can we watch the Great British Bake Off?”


	2. Snapshot #2: Where's Tony's Favorite Place?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony loves a Sleepy Loki.

Tony is curled up in bed, tail wrapped around his legs, a little ball in the middle of his pillow, and right next to Loki. It would take half an hour, perhaps a little longer, but once he’s sure Loki is asleep, Tony cracks open a brown eye to watch him. Tony watches his chest rise and fall, soothed by its rhythmic quality. Loki’s lips part as well and soft, sweet noises escape him, noises he would certainly deny with reddening cheeks if Tony ever mentioned them. The thought has Tony purring, a quiet and gravely sound.

Loki stirs and stretches with a soft moan before settling again, hands now cradled under his chin as he snuggles his face into his pillow. Tony counts his blessings that Loki decided to leave his hair down tonight. The dark waves cascade over the pillow, a few locks obscuring his cheek, making him look younger, almost vulnerable, in his sleep. He loved watching Loki like this. But it is when Loki slowly blinks his eyes open, a small smile on his face, and holds the covers up, inviting him closer, that his heart soars. Tony bounces up and darts over to Loki, happily pressing himself against Loki’s chest. His head is just under Loki’s chin, within perfect forehead kissing range, which Loki readily gives him before pulling the duvet around them, soon falling asleep again. Tony, after watching his love a few moments longer, would soon drift off as well. Content.

This will always be his favorite place to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another (extremely short) chapter ! I hope you all enjoy! Feel free to leave any snapshot suggestions if you have any strong feelings (:
> 
> I have no plans to upload at a regular base so one week you may get more than one chapter and others only one! It all depends on how good I am during the last semester of my masters program xD


	3. Snapshot #3: Tony's Favorite Photographs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony admires his favorite photographs while Loki is away.

Tony kept his three favorite photographs hidden within his office desk, tucked away in a thumbprint-locked compartment that only he had access to. He didn’t examine them often, but it was during occasions like these, when Loki was off in some far-off realm gathering materials for his studies and the ache in Tony’s chest was too much to bear, that he pulled them out. He leaned back in his chair and held one up, a selfie – or, more specifically, Loki’s first attempt at a selfie on the phone Tony gifted him during the initial weeks of their relationship. It was a blurry shot of Loki’s face. Only half of it, caught in the motion of a quick head turn. The effect was an almost watercolor-like blurring of his features, softening them. Tony could barely make out the green of Loki’s eyes. The only thing that was in relative focus was the one perfect curl that framed Loki’s face, the one Tony loved to tug before Loki could bat his hand away, laughing as it sprung back into shape. Grinning, he set the photo aside.

The second was one he took of Loki. And how could he not? The jerk looked so devilishly handsome sitting in the little reading nook he had carved out for himself when he moved into the tower. Loki’s legs were pulled up close to his body and a light knit blanket draped over his thighs. Sunlight streamed in through the windows and caught green and purple and blue in Loki’s hair, shades Tony had never seen before but ones that the camera picked up marvelously. There was a thick tome levitating in front of Loki’s view, written in a language Tony didn’t recognize as one from Earth, and clasped in his grasp was a large mug – tea, if Tony remembered correctly, and a gross one, too. Loki had convinced him to try it, promised it was mellow, then laughed as the overbearing sweetness practically gave him an immediate cavity. Loki even had a subtle smirk on his face in the photo, as if he could hear Tony’s current thoughts. Smug bastard. He flipped to the next photo, eager to rid the taste from his mouth.

The last photo, his favorite of the three, was one JARVIS captured while he and Loki were unaware. They were gathered in an exhausted heap on the rug in front of the fireplace, wings and tails twined around each other in an intimate draconian embrace. They had been chasing each other around his penthouse. He grinned, thinking of the scene they must have made. Tiny dragons, one red, one oily black, bounding and tumbling over couches and chairs and tables, nipping at tails and pinning each other to the ground and rolling around in play. He wondered if JARVIS recorded any of it.

Looking back at the photo, Tony took in Loki’s dragon form. The transformation was a recent development, though one that didn’t require too much prompting from Tony. A good dose of dragon eyes and a pleading head tilt was all it took for Tony to convince Loki to shift for him. And he was – is – stunning. He was more serpent-like in appearance compared to Tony. Where Tony was square and angular, Loki was sleek and elegant. His scales, a reflective black, shifting with those same shades found in his sunlit hair, even caught some of the red from Tony’s scales. His tail, like his body, was long and slender, lacking spines. Similarly, forked onyx horns laid back against his head and two black tendrils extended from his snout, sleepily curling in the air. Tony traced his nail over the green edge of Loki’s wing as it draped over his back. Tony had smiled then and he smiled now as he recounted the possessive gesture, one he wondered if Loki knew the true meaning of. Even if he didn’t, warmth bloomed in Tony’s chest.

“Sir,” JARVIS said, and Tony looked up, a soft smile on his face. “Loki has returned.”

With a final stroke over Loki’s tiny cheek, Tony replaced the photographs and locked them away before he shot up, smile broadening on his face, as he went out to welcome him home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished both of my presentations and I celebrated by buying a slice of lemon cake, a cappuccino, and writing a chapter in my local cafe!
> 
> All I have left to do one more presentation in March and three seminar papers before dedicating time to my dissertation! Excited!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this little update(:


	4. Snapshot #4: A Present for Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Does Loki find Tony the perfect dragon-friendly gift? Find out!

“Anthony.”

Loki sits on the bed, causing Tony to slide toward the dip he creates. Tony peeks his tiny head out from under the duvet to look at him. Loki grins. “It’s time to come out now.”

Tony narrows his eyes and snorts, smoke poofing out of his nostrils before he again hides under the duvet. Rolling his eyes, Loki tosses back the covers, smirking at Tony’s irritated tail twitch.

“I acquired something for you.”

That caught Tony’s attention. He slowly peeks his head back out, looking at Loki with tired curiosity. Standing, Loki offers his arm. “Come.”

With a small groan, Tony gets up and stretches, arching his wings and wriggling the sleep out of his body, then clambers up Loki’s arm to curl around the back of his neck. Loki reaches a hand up to caress his cheek and Tony purrs as they walk toward the living room. Leaning into Loki’s touch, eyes drooping closed, Tony nearly misses his gift—but that is quite impossible. He jerks up and stares at the silhouetted structure backed against the window of Loki’s reading nook.

Extending from the floor and nearly brushing against the vaulted ceiling, the dark, intricately carved wooden structure makes an impressive spectacle. There are multiple levels, some flat surfaces, wooden or wrapped in emerald green sisal rope, others dipped to become the perfect bowl to curl in, and there are tunnels linking some of the platforms together, becoming either a way of getting from one place to the next or the perfect hideaway if he wanted complete darkness. The wood itself looks softly gnarled, almost like the branches of a tree, but yet is clearly aiming for a natural yet elegant aesthetic and it is dark, but that kind of dark that radiates warmth rather than cold. That feeling is only amplified with the accents of gold and green intricately twining around, what Tony presumes to be, Nordic or Asgardian depictions of dragons in flight or in play. There are runes as well, but Tony will have to ask about them later, after he’d had a good romp around his new territory.

With an excited, yet tiny, puff of flame, Tony leaps off of Loki’s shoulder to glide onto the lowest level of his new climbing tower. Loki beams as he watches Tony bound from level to level, sniffing everything and scratching at the roped columns as he goes, and grows more excited as Tony nears the enclosure at the top of the tower. Loki had placed quite a few charms on that area, but there was one in particular he was most proud of. At Tony’s whim and discretion, the walls of the enclosure will either fade to allow in light, becoming opaque windows to see in and out of, or return to their original state, charmed to completely blot out the outside world should he require deep sleep or time alone after a more stressful day in the lab.

Tony pokes his head in, squeaking in delight at the incredibly plush green silk cushion lining the bottom. He lifts a paw, moving to enter, but he looks apprehensive to crawl inside, probably, Loki assumes, because he is worried his claws will tear the fine fabric.

“Your claws will not damage the cushions, Anthony.” Loki wiggles his fingers, the faintest effect of his green magic fluttering between them. “I made sure of it.”

With a satisfied hum, Tony crawls in, curls up into a ball, and sinks into the silk cushion, head cradled perfectly by his tail. He looks up at Loki, eyes amber in a show of pure, unadulterated pleasure, and purrs as Loki presses a gentle kiss to his forehead.

“I’m happy you like it, love,” Loki says with a fond smile, and Tony responds with deeper grumbling purrs. With those final words, Loki sits in his chair and levitates a book in front of him. Comfortable silence ensues, only interrupted by delicate page turns and soft, dragon snores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter!
> 
> I hit a writing block on my essay on James Thomson's "The City of Dreadful Night" (a recommended read!) so I decided to fill that block with more fluff! Ah! (I am also attempting to have it published by my department so here's hoping - also, maybe I'll post a link to it in the notes [if it gets published] if anyone is interested in some literary criticism!)
> 
> I am also working on some of the suggestions left by you lovely commenters so get ready for that!  
> Cheers~


	5. Snapshot #5: A Wild Thor Appears!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does Thor respond when he finds Loki playing with a tiny dragon? Read to find out!
> 
> Based on a suggestion by a lovely reader/commenter, Maurey!

Thor freezes in the doorway leading into Tony’s living room, his eyes wide and mouth agape. Loki is there, as Thor thought he would be, sitting cross-legged on the plush area rug perfectly situated before the couch, but he is focusing intently on something Thor can’t see. A low, rumbling growl echoes through the room, causing Thor’s blood to run cold. He moves to step into the room, ready and willing to protect his brother from the potential threat but he freezes again when, over the crest of the couch, he spots a tiny red dragon gnawing on the knobbed end of a two-foot-long rope. Loki grins and laughs as he tugs on the rope again. The dragon’s growls deepen, and its nails grip the carpet fibers, finding purchase before beating its wings in a furious attempt to gain leverage over the trickster god. There is a fond look in Loki’s eyes as he plays with the dragon, the level of which Thor hadn’t seen in many years, and his heart swells.

Thor watches them in silence a few moments longer, letting them play and grinning widely as Loki easily rolls the dragon onto its back, tickling it. It squirms and complains with many small, indignant noises before nipping at Loki’s hands, huffing. Loki smiles but doesn’t take his hand away, instead letting his fingers run gently over the creature’s belly. Growls melt into contented purrs as the dragon’s eyes slip closed.

It is then that Thor clears his throat.

“Brother.”

Loki and Tony, the dragon, freeze, eyes wide as their heads snap over to look at him. Loki quickly gets to his feet.

“Thor? What are you doing here?”

Rather than answering, Thor steps around the couch, smiling. “I thought the dragons of Midgard were long gone. And yet here you are, playing tug-of-war with one.” He laughs. “I should not be surprised, you have always attracted rare and exotic creatures to your person, Loki. You have that charm about you.”

Heat blooms across Loki’s cheeks at the unexpected compliment, and he opens his mouth to speak as Thor comes closer to the both of them, but Thor speaks first.

“Is it a newborn? It is rather small.” He blinks in surprise when the dragon snorts a small flame, clearly offended by the comment. “My apologies, noble dragon. I had not intended offense.” The dragon narrows its eyes but seems appeased. Thor offers his hand in apology and Tony gives it a sniff before turning to clamber up Loki’s legs and back to perch on his shoulder.

Loki pets his head and looks at Thor. “No, Thor, Anthony is fully grown.”

Thor blinks again and parrots, “Anthony?”

Both Loki and the dragon nod and Thor looks more closely at the dragon. Crimson scales, deepening to scarlet around its—Anthony’s, Thor corrects himself—eyes and joints, extending over the ridges of his wings, and every so often small clusters of golden, or honey-colored, scales peek through the red, adding to the overall glittering affect. His horns were darker than the rest of his body, but when he turned his head, the light hitting them just right, there, too, was found a flash of gold. Though now folded against his sides, Thor recalls the membrane of Tony’s wings being amber, a perfect blend between the red and gold found along his body.

Thor whistles. “I can now see where the inspiration for your suit’s colors comes from, Man of Iron. It suits you.”

The dragon, Tony, looks immensely, and vainly, pleased. Loki rolls his eyes.

“Yes, yes,” Loki says. “His recent shed did his hot-headedness wonders, clearly.”

Tony bats Loki’s temple with the tip of his tail. Loki glowers at him and Thor simply laughs, sitting himself down on the couch as they stare each other down.

Thor gestures between them. “So, how did this come about?”

Loki sighs and sits down on the couch as well, albeit as far from Thor as he can be. Tony slides from his shoulder into his lap, curling up lazily as Loki relays the events of his and Tony’s first meeting.

But that is a tale for another snapshot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this little chapter! If you would like to see more of Thor in future snapshots, be sure to let me know. 
> 
> Also, feel free to leave any suggestions for future chapters if you have any fluffy thoughts!
> 
> All my love,  
> BennyBatch


	6. Snapshot #6: Happy Valentine's Day!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is a bit nervous about giving Loki his homemade Valentine's Day gift.

Tony leans against the doorframe leading into the kitchen, his fingers fiddling with the edges of a small box hidden behind his back. Breathe in, and out. In, and out. He knows this is going to go well. On his end, anyway. He doesn’t know what Loki will think, if he would even like it, or if he even cared about some silly Midgardian holiday. A rustling in the other room sets the butterflies in his stomach free. He turns to peek around the corner and watches as Loki moves gracefully through the kitchen, humming a soft melody to himself while he prepares tea. Tony rests back against the doorframe and the fluttering of the butterflies turns vigorous, irritating his acid reflux. His embarrassingly burpy acid reflux. It’s really not cute. He swallows a burp in an attempt to steel his nerves and rounds the corner, his grip on the box tightening.

Loki smiles at him and Tony immediately blushes. “Hey, Loki.”

“Hello, Anthony. Good morning.”

“Uh, yeah, good morning.”

Loki holds up his mug. “Tea? Or would you prefer coffee?”

Tony shakes his head, clearing his throat. He can feel Loki’s eyes on him, probably with some concern, maybe curiosity, but mostly concern since he isn’t normally so quiet even if it is fairly early for him to even be awake.

“Are you s—”

“I made something for you!” Tony pushes the box against Loki’s chest, eyes downcast as he waits for Loki to take hold of it, and when he does Tony drops his hands away. Loki blinks at him and then down at the black box done up with an emerald green ribbon, which he can tell had been painstakingly handtied.

“What is this?”

Tony digs his toe into the tile floor. “You…have to open it.”

Loki looks at him a moment longer before pulling the ribbon, which slides off easily, and lifting the lid, blinking in surprise when he finds another box inside, though this one is covered in dark green velvet. He tilts the box until the velvet one settles in his hand, and Tony’s heart stops as he opens it.

Loki’s breath catches.

Nestled amongst waves of soft silk lie five dragon scales. The center scale is a vibrant crimson red and the two set on either side of it are amber, or perhaps copper, in color while the final two on the outside are of an even more brilliant hue than the brightest of Tony’s golden scales. Loki had not yet seen their equal on Tony’s body, but perhaps Tony had secreted them away, saving them for a moment such as this. He knows the cultural significance Tony, and all dragons, place on the giving of shed scales. To give another your scales is an intimate act of trust and love, and, importantly, one of possession, similar to the custom of wearing your beloved’s colors on Asgard; and to give scales to a being who is not draconic themselves is almost unheard of. Loki lifts his hand to stroke a finger over the scales but pauses when he notices that they are bound together by a delicate gold rope chain.

“Anthony…”

Tony shifts from foot to foot, hoping it wasn’t too personal a gift to make their relationship turn weird. “If you don’t want them that’s totally fine, I can take it back no problem, I mean, I’d have to just destroy it, can’t have the existence of dragons slip out to the media, you know? and I know they’re useful in magic so can’t let some stray magician nab ‘em so it’s not a big deal if you don’t—”

His ramblings are cut off as Loki surges in to kiss him.

“It’s beautiful, love.” Loki smiles and Tony’s cheeks heat. “Will you help me put it on?”

Tony’s heart fills with relieved happiness and he nods, taking the delicate dragon scale necklace from the box as Loki turns his back to him. He wraps his arms around Loki and Loki lifts his dark curls so Tony can clasp it. The necklace settles close to Loki’s skin, the scales resting in the hollow of his throat, to be felt with each breath. A reminder and an embrace. Loki strokes a reverent thumb over the crimson scale and Tony kisses the back of his bare neck.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Loki.”

Loki turns in his arms, grinning down at him. “Thank you, Anthony.” Tony doesn’t have much time to admire his scales against Loki’s skin before Loki is bending down to kiss him again before Loki pulls away and lowers his voice. “In return, your Valentine’s gift will be waiting in our bedroom, unwrapped, save for the ribbon.” With a suggestive stroke over the dragon scales, Loki disappears, and Tony wastes no time scrambling back to their bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I couldn't let this holiday go by without writing another snapshot, it would have been a waste of potential Valentine cuteness!
> 
> Hope no one minds a bit of tame suggestiveness as I do not plan for it to go any further than that over the course of this series (:


	7. Snapshot #7: How's your head?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony is experiencing some horn aches and pains for the first time. Can Loki help relieve them?
> 
> Based on a suggestion from the lovely reader, Sandramarques26!

Loki winces as he listens to Tony whimper and whine. He’d apparently been having aches in his horns most of this week, but it had suddenly become even more unbearable to the point that no amount of rubbing or itching could relieve it. Loki feels for him, and he had even attempted multiple times to administer pain relieving magic, but the effect never seemed to last longer than fifteen minutes, and so, with a determined sigh, Loki decides it’s time to try more rudimentary methods.

He sits down and guides Tony to curl into his lap. Tony looks at the damp washcloth in his hand and then lifts his head to meet Loki’s gaze, trusting. Loki offer him a small smile as he wraps the cloth around Tony’s horns. He shivers at how cool it is, but the effect is almost immediate. The ache is dulled to something more manageable and his whimpers slowly fade. Loki feels a twinge in his heart as he looks down at the tiny dragon curled up in his lap, and he starts stroking Tony’s cheek with his thumb before moving up to gently massage the scales around the base of his horns. He hears Tony sigh but there are no complaints, so Loki keeps going. He does so for a few minutes more, watching Tony’s face for any sign of pain, but Loki blinks when one of the horns wiggles between his fingers.

Feeling this, Tony’s eyes shoot open and he darts out of Loki’s lap.

But Loki’s fingers were still gripping Tony’s wiggly horn.

Tony freezes and they both stare at the small horn nestled in the washcloth.

“Um.”

Tony stares at it a while longer before growling in panic, eyes wide and wings arched in distress before he takes off, ducking under the couch. Loki sits up on his hands and knees, bending to peek under the couch to find Tony curled up tight and quivering, a small line of blood trailing over his scales from where his horn used to be. Despite this, Loki’s voice is low and calm.

“Anthony, I need you to come out.”

Tony simply curls up tighter, hiding his face with his tail. Loki frowns and easily lifts up the couch with one hand and gathering Tony up in the other, cradling him to his chest. Tony burrows into the crook of Loki’s arm.

“Has this not happened before?” He can feel Tony shake his head in his arm even if he can’t see it. Loki pets his back, voice soft. “That’s alright. I think you still look quite dashing without it.” Loki smiles when he feels a hot puff of air against his skin. “Now,” he says, lifting Tony’s head and gently pressing the reddening washcloth against the wound. “Let me take care of you, my dramatic dragon.”

 

 

Hardly two hours pass before Tony’s other horn falls off without much prompting.

His posture droops as he grabs the horn between his teeth, giving it to Loki to store alongside its other half. As soon as it is safely stored away, Loki smiles at him. Tony stands up on his back paws, clawing at the air and Loki bends to pick him up. Tony purrs and curls into Loki’s chest, all of the aches and pains he’d been experiencing fading with Loki’s comforting touch.

 

 

A few weeks later, Tony bounds up into Loki’s lap, knocking aside his book and chirping proudly as he shows off his budding horns. From what Loki can see, the horns appear to be a deeper shade of red, glossier even, and Loki tells him so. Tony seems pleased with the news and saunters off to once again study himself in the mirror.

 

 

Two months down the line and Tony’s horn have finally grown in fully. Where they had been slender and uniform in appearance, they were now showing signs of twisting, like one of Loki’s curls, adding another degree of elegance to Tony’s features. Tony still preens every time Loki coos over them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOTE: 
> 
>  
> 
> I love tiny dragons.  
> :D


	8. Snapshot #8: Making Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki enjoying the most important meal of the day!

Tony smiles as a pair of arms wrap around him from behind. He inhales deeply as the form presses against his back and catches a hint of _Loki_ wafting over the sweet aroma of French toast—brioche French toast, of course, not that white Texas toast bullshit that gets soggy as soon as you dip it into the cinnamon-egg mixture. He pushes the thought away with a shudder and places a hand on Loki’s arm.

“Careful,” he says. “I don’t want to burn breakfast.”

Loki laughs against his ear and Tony shivers at the warm sound. He feels Loki’s soft lips press a kiss against his neck and Tony practically melts.

There is a grin in Loki’s voice as he pulls away, making Tony regret his words immediately. “My apologies, then. It smells lovely.”

 _So do you_ , Tony thinks, but he hums instead. “Thanks. It’ll be done soon.” He checks the underside of a slice and looks relieved to find it a perfect golden brown. He flips it and the other over. “Want to start coffee?”

“Filter or espresso?”

Tony purses his lips. “Um, how about espresso. Cappuccino?”

Loki gives him a thumbs-up.

The sizzling of French toast and the whir of the espresso machine now fills the space between them, and though it’s comfortable, Tony is soon humming softly to himself. Loki tilts his head, listening, and grins as he recognizes it as Witchy Woman. Tony had told him once that the song reminded him of Loki, but past the raven hair and ruby lips, Loki would deny being a witch; a woman, sure, but not witch. He snorts as Tony sings under his breath.

_Woo hoo, witchy woman, see how high she flies._

As he sings to himself, he slides the two slices onto a plate and turns around to set them on the island counter, right next to the butter and prewarmed maple syrup. And Loki, too, comes over to offer Tony his cappuccino. Tony wraps his fingers around the offered mug and takes a grateful drag, pleased to find that it’s not too hot. He sets it down with a satisfied sigh, licking the dusting of cocoa and steamed milk from his lips, and passes Loki a fork. They then lean against the counter together, arms brushing and forks tapping together teasingly as they steal pieces from one another. They end up cutting the last bite into tiny fourths in an attempt to draw out the moment and Tony eventually sighs as they, too, disappear into their stomachs. He glances at Loki and spots a soft smile adorning his face.

“Want to make a few more slices?”

Tony nods and leans in to kiss the syrup off of Loki’s lips. “Comin’ right up, sugar.” He beams as Loki laughs, and turns back to the stove with a full heart if not a full stomach just yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who comes back to read each update! It means the world!
> 
> PS. I am always accepting suggestions if you have any strong feelings about what you'd like to see! I will try my best to deliver!


	9. Snapshot #9: Sick Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gets a Midgardian disease!

Loki tosses another tissue onto his nightstand with a pathetic sniffle, adding to the ever-growing pile. Stupid Midgard with their stupid diseases. He sighs and settles back into his pillow with a petulant frown, drawing the duvet up under his chin. His eyes begin to droop again and just as he is about to doze off, a soft voice calls his name from the other side of the room. Loki groans and blinks in the direction the voice came from, relaxing when he spots Tony poking his head in through their bedroom door.

“How ya doin’, Lokes?”

As Tony pushes his way into the room, careful of the tinkling tray in his hands, Loki shrugs, keen to appear unruffled by the illness but the motion causes a tickle in his throat and he covers his mouth with his arm as he hacks up a lung. It is a few moments more before Loki regains his breath, but there is a significant wheezing quality to it that sets Tony on edge. And, as he draws closer to their bed, Tony’s gaze is immediately drawn to the dark circles under Loki’s eyes, then to the pale sallowness of his cheeks, conscious that the healthier flush they had earlier that morning has now faded. Tony worries his bottom lip between his teeth. “You really are down in the dumps, aren’t you?”

Loki makes no answer and instead sniffles again, eyes drifting down to the tray in Tony’s hands.

“Oh, um, yeah, I made you chicken noodle soup. Or, well, JARVIS ordered some since I can’t cook, but you know that already…” Despite his obvious fatigue, Tony can clearly see amusement light up Loki’s eyes, so he continues to ramble as he sits next to Loki’s side. “Chicken soup is really good for the soul, you know. There was a book about it and everything. And it really does help.” He helps Loki sit up before setting the tray on his lap. “Now, kinda lean over it. Yeah, just like that. And breathe in the steam, uh-huh. JARVIS said that can help loosen things up, and maybe help speed up the getting better process just a little bit.” Tony rubs gentle circles on the back of Loki’s hand but starts as Loki pulls his hand away to pick up the spoon. “Need help?”

Loki shakes his head with a weak laugh, but, again, it becomes clear that help is definitely needed as more soup ends up spilled on the tray than stays in the spoon. It is clear that Loki is frustrated so Tony silently shifts closer and wraps his fingers around Loki’s trembling hand, gently guiding the spoon from the bowl to Loki’s mouth. He grins as Loki takes his first sip, a sigh escaping him.

“Good?”

Loki nods.

Tony spends the next ten minutes feeding Loki, warmth blooming in his chest as he watches Loki struggle to keep his eyes open long enough to finish his soup, but he finally manages it. Tony sets the tray on the nightstand, nudging Loki’s tissues to the side, and turns back to help Loki lie back down. He makes sure Loki is completely settled before bending down to kiss his forehead. “Get some rest, love, and I’ll have tea prepared for when you wake up.” He grins as Loki nods, his eyes already drooping, and Tony can’t resist kissing him once more before standing to tuck the covers around him.

Flicking the lights off, Tony backs out of the room and closes the door on Loki’s soft snores.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a hot minute since I last posted a chapter! Updates may be more sporadic as essay season descends upon me. But that's okay! I can only do academic writing for so long before I need to have some tiny dragons in my life.
> 
> As always, feel free to leave any suggestions for scenes you'd like to see. I have a running list!


	10. Snapshot #10: A Messy Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony makes a bit of a mess and needs to be cleaned!

“Anthony, honestly.” Loki sighs and rolls his eyes as the tiny dragon smushes his face into the small bowl of mashed potatoes Loki had set in front of him. Tony lifts his head, buttery potatoes in every crevice of his snout and he even, somehow, ends up with some globs clinging to the arch of his wings. He attempts to don a look innocence, but Loki isn’t having any of it. He scoops Tony up, smoothing a hand over his wings to keep them pressed against Tony’s sides, and holds him against his chest. Despite Tony’s indignant squeaks and constant squirming, Loki manages to keep the small dragon in his grasp as he strides toward their bathroom, all the while mumbling under his breath about silly dragons and how he worked hard to make Tony’s favorite Midgardian dish and the disrespect of it all.

Tony’s tail droops, thoroughly abashed, and doesn’t move when Loki sets him down to turn on the sink tap.* They spend a few moments in silence, Loki testing the water and Tony glancing up at him, then back to the marble counters, then back up again, eyes wide, but Loki doesn’t look at him. When Loki is satisfied with the temperature, he plugs the drain and slides Tony along the marble to plop him into the water. Tony squawks, flapping his wings as he tries to catch himself, but as soon as he settles at the bottom of the basin he looks up at Loki and blinks owlishly, tongue darting out to lick potatoes off his nose.

Loki huffs, his face finally showing signs of fond amusement. He reaches a hand down to stroke his thumb over Tony’s cheek, clearing away a line of potatoes. “My silly, messy dragon.” Tony’s eyes twinkle as he presses into Loki’s hand.

Loki bathes him with a small dollop of his favorite soap, a soft smelling coconut vanilla, specifically formulated to leave his scales hydrated and gleaming. Tony purrs, enjoying the massage. Maybe he should get messy more often if this is the reward he gets.

“I wouldn’t get any ideas, Anthony.”

Tony starts, his head snapping over to stare Loki in the face.

“Yes, I _can_ read minds.”

Loki winks, laughing as Tony chuffs at him with a mock glare. He flicks his tail, squeaking as water hits Loki’s face. He ducks, leaving only his eyes, nose, and horns above water to watch Loki as he wipes his face with the back of his hand. “Alright, I think that’s enough fun for you, dragon.”

Tony curls around the plug, looking smug as he growls. Loki grins and Tony’s talons curl in anticipation, but what he doesn’t expect is for Loki to simply whisk the water away, leaving the basin completely dry but him still sopping wet. He whines at the loss and is soon shivering as the cold air hits him, but he doesn’t shiver for long. Loki is already wrapping a fluffy warmed hand towel around him. He gently dries Tony’s face as he tucks the dragon back against his chest.

Tony coos, snuggling closer, and Loki smiles.

“Now, you’ll eat like a gentleman, or you can forget about the tuna steak I’ve prepared.” Tony responds with a solemn nod and Loki kisses the top of his head. “Good boy.”

…

The rest of dinner is uneventful until dessert, which Tony rips into, unable to restrain himself. Loki buries his face in his hands as he is once against faced with this disaster of a dragon, this _whipped cream covered_ disaster of a dragon.

 

 

*Tony wants readers to know that the only reason Loki decided to use the sink instead of the tub is because the sink is extra-large, so he fits perfectly, not that he is super tiny or anything like that. Also, um, water conservation? Duh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired in part by a suggestion from reader silver_drip! A shared bubble bath may come later, and perhaps even messier messes!
> 
>  
> 
> This fanfiction now has a Tumblr (as of yesterday)! I am thinking it may be an easier method of interacting with readers and just spreading the fluff (: If interested, follow https://tinydragontony.tumblr.com, but do not feel obligated!


	11. Snapshot #11: Tony Wants His Nails Done, Too

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki's first mistake was paying more attention to his nails than to a tiny, mischievous dragon.

Loki’s sprawled out and settled in their shared den. His legs are hooked over his plush armchair, a light blanket over his lap, a book of spells levitating to his left, a half-finished cup of tea on the end table behind him, with a vial of black nail polish in one hand and the brush in the other, languidly painting his nails.

Tony hooks his head over the edge of his perch and gazes down at him, tail twitching in interest as Loki blows on his completed right hand. He chuffs for attention, but Loki doesn’t even look up. Affronted, Tony climbs down his tower with all the stealth he can muster and hides in the shadow under the final platform, amber eyes gleaming as he watches his unwitting prey. Wiggling his bottom, Tony takes off running, hurling himself into Loki’s lap and growling and chuffing in delight when Loki nearly jumps out of his skin, his book dropping from the air to thump on the ground. Their eyes meet and Tony settles for a look of innocence when Loki glowers at him.

“You’re lucky my nails didn’t smear, dragon.”

Tony nuzzles his head against Loki’s palm while kneading the blanket in his lap, playing up his tiny cuteness. Loki sighs and gives in, stroking his thumb over Tony’s browbone.

“You’re incorrigible.”

Tony curls up in his lap with a soft huff, watching as Loki quietly finishes his other hand. Loki shows them off and Tony purrs his approval before standing to put his forepaws on Loki’s chest, first nudging the vial with his nose and then his own paws. Loki grins and takes one of Tony’s tiny feet in his hand, giving it a squish between his fingers before he can stop himself, and begins to paint his talons black. A quick burst of flame from Tony dries them instantly, and Loki watches with fond amusement as Tony flexes his claws, looking immensely pleased with how they gleam. Tony curls up in his lap again, satisfied and happy; but, unknown to Loki, Tony is mostly pleased because they’re now matching, as all dragon pairs should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long break between chapters! Thank you for your patience! It is also incredibly short, but I am currently working on three different snapshots, so I should have more for you in the next few days!
> 
> I also just turned in an essay today (a comparison of Wilde's Dorian Gray and Mabel Collins' occult novel Morial the Mahatma, examining how they both pervert Decadence for their own agendas!). One more to go and then I can start working on my dissertation! I'm thinking Gothic Consumption within a "Free Market," but that is not set in stone!


	12. Snapshot #12: Protective Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki gets hurt during an Avengers outing. Tony's reaction? Dangerous, indeed.
> 
> tw: mild blood mention

Loki doesn’t see the shield hurled his way until it’s too late to stop it. There’s an enemy behind him, one of Hydra’s agents, easily dispatched with a wave of his hand, but apparently the ever-chivalrous Captain America thought he needed to stick his nose in and lend Loki a hand. So, as Loki steps over the fallen agent, intent on finding another target, and hearing a shout of panic, he turns toward the spinning projectile now too close to his face for a counter spell. It ricochets off his forehead with a hollow thud and his vision goes black.

He finds himself flat on his back when he came to. There is muffled shouting seemingly coming from all around him, but it was flooded out by the intense ringing in his ears. He groans and struggles to sit up as he clutches his pounding head, but when the pressure becomes too much, he pulls his hands away, mildly surprised to find them glistening red. He blinks down at them. Had he really been hit that hard? He lifts his eyes and catches Steve’s shocked look. The world spins as he shifts to dazedly scan the makeshift battlefield, and even through his blurring vision he notes that the conflict is coming to a halt. Natasha and Clint are making quick work of the last remaining Hydra agents, oblivious to what had just occurred.

Steve takes a few steps towards him, mouth floundering over an apology. “Loki—”

But Loki isn’t listening to him. The hair on the back of his neck stands on end as he jerks his head over to where Tony hovers in the air. His faceplate is retracted enough to reveal small cuts marking his face, and Loki feels ice shock through him when he catches Tony’s gaze. His eyes burn a bright, inhuman amber; his pupils sharp, predatory slits, and they are aimed directly at an unwitting Steve.

The perfect vision of draconic fury.

Loki doesn’t even take the time to wipe away the blood now obscuring his vision before teleporting over to Tony, quickly wrapping him up in his embrace despite Tony’s burgeoning snarls to teleport them back to their penthouse, hoping no one had managed to catch a glimpse of Tony’s eyes.

They land on the couch with a huff from both of them before Tony is all over him. Loki remains still and compliant as Tony presses himself against him, and he barely manages to suppress a shiver as Tony’s rumbling growls resonate through to his bones.

“I am fine, Anthony,” Loki whispers. “It’s merely a scratch.”

Tony ignores him and settles more firmly in Loki’s lap, pinning him there. Loki makes a face when Tony licks around the wound, only to hiss when it is followed by a burning sensation as his skin knits back together. Tony sits back and watches him as he rubs his fingers over the spot, surprised to find it both smooth and clean of any debris. Satisfied, Tony hums and tucks Loki protectively under his chin while wrapping him up in his arms and legs, turning them into a tangled ball. Any movement Loki makes beneath him is met with a soft growl until Loki just gives up with a soft sigh, ignoring how Tony’s suit pokes at him and accepting what will likely be a long night of Tony incessantly clinging to him. Not that he entirely minds.

When they attend the mandatory debrief meeting a few hours later, Tony’s eyes now back to their proper brown, Steve again approaches Loki to apologize but is stopped in his tracks when he finds himself under the intensity of Tony’s glare. Steve holds up his hands and promptly backs off, the rest of the team following suit and giving Tony and Loki a wide berth just in case they, too, ignite Tony’s wrath.

Though Loki would be reluctant to admit it out loud, he relishes the pleasant tingles that run up his spine as Tony’s arm curls around his waist, holding him close, and he smiles with the knowledge that there is plenty of pampering fit for a prince and cuddling in their bed to follow the meeting’s end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for you lovely people! Based on a suggestion by a loverly reader, Kim, who wanted to see some protective Tony!
> 
> All my love~


	13. Snapshot #13: Braided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a long day in the lab, Tony needs something to help him destress. Cue hair braiding!

Tony sets his micro-screwdriver down and leans back to rub at his strained eyes.

He’d been holed up in his lab working on this omni-tool prototype for three nearly sleepless days and the project is only now in entering the final stages of construction. The innerworkings of the machine, particularly the holographic interface, had proven to be far more intricate than he originally anticipated, but let it not be said that Anthony Edward Stark runs from a challenge! Though he was loath to admit it, it was probably Jarvis’s strict enforcement of his new “make Tony take mandatory breaks at least once every five hours, if not more, so he doesn’t implode” protocol that kept him somewhat sane.

It also helped that every time Jarvis forced him back into the real world there always seemed to be a plate of warm food and freshly brewed coffee waiting for him at the end of his workbench. He knew it was Loki’s doing and Tony smiled as he ate it, picturing Loki in their kitchen, apron tied snuggly around his trim waist and hair pulled back as he cooks, sending the plate and coffee down to the lab with a wave of his elegant hand before settling down to eat his own portion. Tony would then picture the same scene, Loki’s hair pulled back, apron tied around his waist, nothing else on underneath…(*coughcough* Ahem, impure thoughts).

Sometimes Tony would take his plate and mug upstairs to eat with him, and Loki would grin, a pleased flush coloring his cheeks; other times Loki would join him in his lab, two steaming plates of whatever delicacy he had prepared that day in hand, the smell enough to pull Tony out of his chair and to the loveseat situated in the corner where they shared their meal together, ankles hooked around one another. Today was a day like the latter.

Tony stretches his arms above his head, sighing as satisfying pops ripple up his spine. He tilts his head side to side and swivels around in his chair, his heart stuttering when he spots Loki curled up on the loveseat, their empty dishes from lunch littering the end table behind him.

Loki’s back is facing the room and his long legs are pulled up to his chest, one more so than the other, which leaves one of his feet dangling off the couch’s edge, and, when Tony stands to get a closer look, he can see that Loki’s face is smushed up against the throw pillow, his breathing soft and even. He smiles and kneels by Loki’s head, watching him for a moment before lifting a hand to tuck a stray curl behind Loki’s ear. He does it again, so captivated by the silkiness of Loki’s hair that he doesn’t notice he’s woken up.

Loki lets him continue, a soft smile on his face as Tony gingerly reaches under his head to free the rest of his hair so he can comb his fingers through it with a reverent sigh. It isn’t long before Loki feels the tell-tale pulling, though it’s extremely gentle, of a braid being weaved into his hair. He hears Tony sigh again before fingers move against his scalp, the braid falling apart so Tony can start again. This routine plays out a few more times, enough so that Loki thinks Tony must just enjoy the repetitive motions, but he is far from complaining about the pleasure of having his hair played with.

He’s so relaxed under Tony’s ministrations that he barely registers that Tony’s hands have dropped away until he feels Tony press a kiss to the back of his head.

“You’re awake, aren’t you?” There’s amusement in his tone so Loki turns to face him, meeting Tony’s grin with one of his own.

“I am.”

Tony presses a soft kiss to his lips and Loki sighs as Tony pulls away, Tony’s grin now a smirk.

“Let me take you out for dinner tonight.”

“Mm, fine.”

“You have to leave the braid in, though. I worked hard on it and it actually looks nice.” Tony caresses his cheek. “Very nice.”

A blush blooms across his cheeks. “If that’s all it takes, I’ll do it.”

Tony rewards him with another kiss before he jumps up and pulls Loki to his feet. The two of them head upstairs to get ready for their date, and when they’re late to the reservation slot Jarvis managed to squeeze in by over an hour due to some shower-time shenanigans, the restaurant made sure that table remained open for them, because who in their right mind would keep Tony Stark from showing his date a good time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's snapshot is based off of zwierzodudle's art (on Tumblr)! I have not asked for permission to post the image on AO3 so I have provided a link to it below! Please give them some love, their frostiron art is absolutely adorable!
> 
> http://zwierzodudle.tumblr.com/post/184094001202/finally-had-some-time-so-i-turned-back-to-prompts


	14. Snapshot #14: A Scottish Vacation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki fly over to Scotland for vacation! What do they do amongst the Scottish Highlands?

Though he can’t see it, doubled over and sucking in air as he is, Tony can feel the telltale tingling that usually coincides with when Loki is smirking at him, probably amused by Tony’s current state.

“It’s alright, Anthony. I know using your legs is a difficult endeavor when you prefer flying.”

Okay, definitely amused given his tone, and a bit of an asshole in general. As per usual.  

Loki laughs at the glare Tony sends him and grins as he offers Tony his hand. Tony takes it, grumbling to himself about the hills and his heart condition and how flying actually is way easier than walking. Loki lets him ramble and kisses the back of Tony’s hand as they continue along the cobbled path winding up toward Stirling Castle.

They pass the Holy Rude, a church if the stained glass and attached graveyard is any indication, on the way up and decide to go through it as a detour. Tony isn’t normally a fan of cemeteries, but it was worth the walk to be able to see Loki’s face light up in interest as soon as they entered its grounds. He grins as Loki walks ahead, content to watch him examine names and dates but still close enough to answer any questions regarding the use of the more “phallic” headstones. Tony snorts and says it must be something to do with rich old men wanting to get closer to heaven, to penetrate it, if you will, or it could be a show of wealth. Loki nods and continues on, looking thoughtful as they both mount some stone steps leading up to a lookout point.

Loki immediately gravitates to the stone compass sat in the middle of the small plateau while Tony stands nearby with his hands on his hips, greedily sucking in the crisp, clean Scottish air through his nose and exhaling with a satisfied huff. He’s thankful the traditional rain had decided to stay away today, allowing for the rare appearance of a shining sun without any hindrance whatsoever. To his right and over Loki’s head, the castle lies at large. Amidst the brown and grey of the structures around it, the Great Hall is a gleaming beacon of golden yellow in the morning sun. Behind the castle and down the hill, the River Forth glitters; and to his left cars wind through the sheep-dotted countryside. Fully taking in the panoramic views, Tony’s heart leaps and he wants to do the same.

Right off the edge of the bluff.

He wants to unfurl his wings and take flight over the Scottish Highlands and glide along the gales that curl over the distant munros. Loki can see this want written plainly on Tony’s expression and he smiles. “I can cast an invisibility spell on you, if you’d like.”

Tony looks hopeful for a split second before pursing his lips and shaking his head. “No, I want to see the castle with you first.” He takes Loki’s hand as he speaks, guiding them both back down from the lookout point to continue along the dirt path and up the side stairs leading to the castle’s visitors parking lot and main entrance.

After purchasing their tickets, they spend the next forty minutes following a guide around the castle grounds. Though Tony quickly grows bored of the history, Loki listens with rapt attention, curious to hear about the many battles for control over the castle (it is said that whoever holds Stirling Castle holds the whole of Scotland) and the royalty that had once frequented it, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who had spent most of her life there and was even crowned at six-days-old in its royal chapel after the death of her father. Loki’s heart went out to her upon learning that. Loki never had to rule at such a young age, but he knows what it’s like to grow up under such pressures, even as a (supposed) second son. He only hopes he doesn’t share a fate similar to hers in the end.

Loki strokes his fingers over the hollow of his throat and shudders as Tony drags him away, clearly eager to wander the castle on their own now that the guide has set them free.

Thirty minutes later finds the two of them leaning against the northern portion of the castle wall, their shoulder pressed together as they gaze over the sheer drop. For some reason, not many other visitors follow them this way; though it is slightly out of the way, people don’t even seem to notice that they’ve been here at all, as if their gaze is deliberately averted or they’re looking straight through them, which is odd. Tony turns his head to ask Loki about it, but his breath catches in his throat.

Though Loki’s hair is pulled back, the wind teases wisps of his long black hair curling around his temples, sweeping them over the elegant curve of his neck and Tony can’t help leaning over to kiss his temptingly soft skin. Tony lifts his head, a soft smile on his face that soon shifts to an amused smirk when he catches Loki’s look of surprise, which he then savors with another slow kiss.

Loki purrs against his lips, “Ready to fly?”

Beaming, Tony nods and Loki’s magic ripples over his skin. He receives a short nod from Loki before he eagerly sheds his human form, his clothes falling away as he pushes off the castle wall, crimson wings spread wide to catch the breeze to send him higher.

Loki bends down to pick up Tony’s clothes. He folds them and tucks them into his bag before leaning against the wall again with his chin in his hand to watch the tiny dragon dip, dive, and twirl through the air.

It isn’t long before Loki casts the same spell on himself, sending his and Tony’s clothes and bags away with a flick of his wrist before taking to the air, oily black joining golden crimson in aerial play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I'm living in Scotland, I thought including my stomping grounds might make for a cute snapshot!


	15. Snapshot #15: Much Needed Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being caught in a storm, Tony needs some help warming up!

What starts as a warm, sunny May day perfect for flying and chasing pigeons soon clouds over faster than Tony can duck into cover to avoid its sudden chilling rain.

Though his scales wick away water quite effectively, he is still sopping by the time he lands on the tower’s helipad. He arches his wings over his head, keen to keep the rain out of his eyes as what he could now tell was a thunderstorm continues to develop in intensity. Lightning flashes as JARVIS slides open the glass doors without prompting and Tony shuffles inside, water dripping and trailing behind him. He shakes from his head down to the tip of his tail and a small puddle forms beneath him, but even after doing so his tiny body is soon overcome with fierce shivering. He hears the pattering of feet somewhere to his left, but he is too cold to do much else besides curling up on himself to seek any form of warmth.

“Anthony?”

Tony whimpers at the sound of Loki’s voice and before he knows it, he is lifted, wrapped up in a kitchen towel, and cradled against a warm chest, which he immediately burrows into. A whispered spell heats the towel and Tony sighs as the shivers go from all consuming to sporadic before finally disappearing completely.

When the shivering does stop, Tony lifts his head to get his bearings and blinks when a hand cups his cheek. He looks up into Loki’s face and his tail wags at the soft smile he finds there. Nudging Loki’s hand with his nose prompts him to continue his petting as Tony curls up into a ball in his lap, content to accept all the love and warmth Loki has to offer after his misadventure in the rain.

And Loki, as always, is more than happy to give it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to reader blossom x3 for the lovely suggestion featured in today's short and sweet snapshot!  
> I wonder, what happens if Tony overheats in the future? Maybe a blue and frosty Loki could come to the rescue!
> 
> As always, please feel free to leave suggestions in the comments if you have anything you'd like to see of tiny dragon Tony and Loki. I make a mark of all suggestions I receive (and I am currently working on three separate suggestions) and though it make take a while for me to complete them, I hope the chapters make it worth the wait!


	16. Snapshot #16: Jealousy Becomes You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has the wonderful opportunity to attend another charity event, but who is that with their hand on Loki's waist?

Another day, another charity ball full of rich people with fake smiles who don’t actually care. Of course, Pepper just had to force him to go, being the public face of Stark Industries and all, but damn is it boring. Tony grumbles to himself and scuffs his leather shoe against the marble tiles. He is currently leaning against the wall attempting to will away the urge to bash his head against it as he listens to some inane conversation happening nearby. Blah, blah, blah, what a lovely dress, wow, and can you believe the weather? Wowie. He can’t help rolling his eyes. These events are always a bit of a drag, and no one ever manages to entertain him with decent conversation, but at least Loki had decided to join him this time.

Tony tips his head back and smirks as he recalls the frenzy of camera flashes as soon as they both stepped out of his favorite hot-rod-red Audi.

He had gotten out first and, being the gentleman that he is, tossed the keys to the designated chauffer before promptly coming around to open the door for Loki and offer his arm. And Loki, being the prince that he is, took his arm with a smile sweet enough to trick onlookers into forgetting, just for a moment, that he wasn’t the same God of Mischief that had contracted birds to shit on extremist politicians a week prior.

The pair of them must have been a vision: him in one of his classic dark pinstripe suits, perfectly tailored to hug every inch of his body, a similarly patterned white collared shirt underneath, an emerald tie to finish it off, and the elegance that is Loki on his arm. Loki’s black hair was pulled back into a braid and pinned up for the evening and a few stray curls were pulled out to frame his face, all to draw attention to the three red scales pressed against the hollow of his neck. The crimson glimmer of the scales contrasted beautifully with the green and gold embroidery of his Asgardian dress. And the slit in the dress snaking up the length of Loki’s leg? God, it was enough to have Tony, as well as a few paparazzi, nearly drooling over the tantalizing glimpse of upper thigh as Loki sashayed into the venue, Tony stumbling after him in a daze. Then he took Loki’s hand, the smile that bloomed on Loki’s face as he pulled him closer melting his glowing blue heart, and he remembers drawing in a deep breath as Loki pressed against him, the soft scent of lavender tickling his senses.

Tony sighs wistfully.

He tilts his head from side to side and shakes the stillness from his shoulders as he shoots a quick glance over to where Loki is leaning against the bar. He is smiling at the bartender and is, Tony assumes, just now placing their drink order.

Tony checks his watch, frowns, and glances up again, his eyes trailing down the bar and following the queue forming behind Loki. He must not have noticed the line when Loki offered to grab them a drink earlier.

The bartender had already turned around to make their drinks when Tony returns his gaze to Loki. He takes a moment to let his eyes roam over Loki’s back and is savoring the curve of his ass when his heart stutters as a hand settles all too familiarly on Loki’s hip. Tony’s eyes immediately dart up to the perpetrator’s face and he takes in the man’s sculpted jawline, smartly styled brown hair, dark blue eyes, perfect smile and Tony struggles to suppress the low growl threatening to erupt from his throat.

Judging by how the smile on Loki’s face drops away when he turns and realizes the hand doesn’t belong to Tony, he also isn’t too keen to have a stranger’s hand a hair’s width away from coping a feel. The near immediate shift in expression did little to deter the man, however, since he simply leans in closer. All the while, Tony’s blood boils as he watches the man’s fingers slide up to grip Loki’s waist while he lifts the other to twirl a stray curl against the nape of Loki’s neck – as if Loki were an object he could touch however he wanted without any consent whatsoever. Before he thinks it through, Tony moves to stomp over to the two of them, fists clenched and body hot, but then the event organizer steps in front of him with the shy charity spokesperson in tow, trapping him in yet another masquerade of fake smiles and superficial conversation.

Unaware of Tony’s plight, Loki lifts his brow at the man and bats his hands away, putting a few steps distance between them. “Mind your hands.”

The man smirks at him, unbothered. “You seemed lonely over here. William Moore,” he says, offering Loki his hand again in mock greeting. “Pleasure.”

The man – William – practically purrs the word and Loki rolls his eyes. He glances down at William’s hand, giving it a disdainful look, before lifting his eyes again, gazing over the bar. “The pleasure is only yours, I assure you.”

“Don’t be like that, pet.” Loki bristles as William closes the small distance he had placed between them, and Loki realizes that he’s now blocked in against a bar stool and the cluster of people forming at their backs. “You didn’t seem to mind my hands a minute ago,” he continues, trailing his fingers up Loki’s arm.

Loki jerks his arm away, narrowing his eyes. “Mind. Your. Hands.”

William just laughs and leans over him, forcing Loki to bend his head back for some form of distance, but it isn’t far enough. Loki can feel William’s breath against his lips, a hint of alcohol reaching his nose

“As if you actually want that.”

Loki stiffens as William inhales the lavender perfume nestled just under his jaw. His eyes flash, ready to snarl, but before he can, William is suddenly thrust back by a tanned hand while the other wraps around his waist, pulling him back against a warm chest. He grins as a soft blue glow reaches his eyes, giving away that it’s Tony who holds him now, and when he turns his head to verify it, he finds Tony glaring daggers at William, who, for all his idiocy, shifts from mild surprise to intoxicated amusement in the blink of an eye. He smooths the lapels of his jacket and stands taller, smirking, and Tony wonders if the guy knows he has a punchable face.

“Stark, is it? If you’ll excuse us, we were _talking_.” He emphasizes the last word as he grips Loki’s wrist again, but just before he can tug Loki away, Tony snaps.

His hand darts out to circle William’s wrist and Loki can hear a soft hiss as Tony’s fingers scorch rings into his skin. William yelps and desperately tries to yank his hand free, and Tony, lips quirked in perverse satisfaction, lets go. He lifts his nose as William stumbles back, eyes wide and cradling his now burnt wrist to his chest. Later that night, other patrons would laugh when William swears on his life that he saw Tony Stark’s eyes glowing amber just then, but now he just glances back at Loki, who is safely tucked against Tony’s side and looking immensely pleased by the turn of events, before turning tail and running away to lick his wounds.

Low murmurs follow his escape, but Tony couldn’t care less. He turns to the bar when the bartender sets their drinks down, blissfully unaware of the commotion, and Tony swallows it all in one go, slamming the glass back down on the counter and motioning for another, all the while never letting Loki stray from his grip. Not that Loki wanted to leave, mind you.

Loki presses a soft kiss to his temple and Tony slowly begins to relax as he leans into his touch. He can feel Loki grin against his ear as he whispers, “You didn’t burn him too badly, did you, my dragon?”

“No,” Tony scoffs. “First degree at best. And did you see how he just ran off like that? What a baby.” Though he’s trying to sound unaffected, he tightens his hold on Loki’s waist. He’s actually glad at how quickly he was able to stake his claim and scare the man off, otherwise the guy might not have left here with a hand at all.

Loki laughs and the sound makes Tony preen as he picks up the freshly poured whiskey, though he takes his time with this one, savoring the pleasurable burn as it slides down his throat. Tony taps the rim of his glass and watches Loki. He’s sipping on his own cocktail but pauses when Tony asks, his voice soft, “Can we go home?”

Setting his glass down, Loki nods and teleports the two of them home.

They land in the living room and Tony spends the next three hours cuddled into Loki’s side; and, later that evening, Tony takes great pleasure in making sure his scent marking sticks by reminding Loki just exactly whose treasure he is. A lesson Loki loves repeating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A suggestion from the lovely Anya who wanted some jealous Tony action! (I live for it as well!)
> 
> Well, after many days (2 weeks?) of not posting a chapter, I have visited my local castle again and I have trained down to London for a lovely weekend. And guess what? I saw Tom Hiddleston in Betrayal! It was an amazing show, and I was close enough to see the tears run down his face. While sad, it was surprisingly funny and I recommend anyone in the London area go see it, it was worth it!
> 
> I hope the wait for another chapter was worth it! I will try to be posting shorter snapshots as I do have to focus most of my attention to completing my masters thesis over the summer. 
> 
> For those interested, I am going to be combining three separate areas of study: Gothic, Food Studies, and the Female Gothic. I am investigating how the female body is related to food within the Female Gothic narrative structure, while then differentiating my analysis by narrowing my focus to the Culinary Female Gothic, or how the, traditionally feminine, culinary space of the kitchen acts as a locus of horror for women within Gothic. I am very excited about my research!


	17. Snapshot #17: Under a Helm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki were enjoying a quiet moment together in the living room, but when Loki raised his head from his book, Tony was missing from his chair. Where could the tiny dragon have run off to?

Loki closes his book with a soft slap and reaches for his tea. Bringing the mug to his lips, he frowns to find it completely drained and, gazing down into its empty recess, he sighs, setting the mug aside as well.

“Anthony, more tea, please.”

His frown deepens at the answering silence and he turns his head to where he thought Tony had been sitting and was surprised to find a vacant chair. He turns farther to peer into the attached kitchen, but it is empty as well. Loki gazes at the ceiling, as he has seen Tony do countless times before, and asks, “Jarvis?” With nothing more than his name, Jarvis responds with a quick ease that still manages to impress him.

“Sir is sleeping in your bedroom, Mr. Liesmith. Shall I have one of the helper bots prepare more tea?”

Loki replies with a noise of affirmation as he stands, keen to ask Tony to join him, and, perhaps, to ask if he can treat Tony to dinner later that night.

He tiptoes into their bedroom, expecting to see Tony asleep under the duvet, but he blinks when he finds the bed empty and made up. Tilting his head, he turns to leave to see if, by chance, Tony had managed to slip by him, yet he pauses in the doorway when a soft noise sounds behind him. The low, rumbling sounds he can now tell are rhythmic snores increase in volume as he steps farther into the room and a slow grin spreads across his face when he finds the source on his side of the bed. On his nightstand, in particular, and emanating from under his helm.

Loki’s fingers wrap around one of the golden horns and he lifts it up.

The fondness that flutters in his chest is immediate because lying there, curled up in a snuggly little crimson ball, is Tony. The tiny dragon snuffles and curls up even more when the helm is lifted, perhaps due to the air displacement, and Loki has to press a hand to his lips to keep from chuckling at the sight.

“Jarvis?” Loki whispers, and, equally quiet, Jarvis replies, “Yes, sir?”

“Capture this moment for me.”

Loki waits until he hears the soft clicks of Jarvis’s cameras before replacing his helmet to cover the dozing dragon. He bends to watch Tony sleep a moment longer, grinning at his grumbling snores (and he swears he hears more cameras shuttering), before he tiptoes back out of the room, happy to let Tony sleep a while longer while he enjoys a fresh cup of tea.

Dinner can wait another hour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a suggestion from the lovely silver_drip, a dedicated reader who wanted to see tiny dragon Tony hiding under Loki's horned helm! Hope napping is a decent alternative to hiding ;)


	18. Snapshot #18: A Duo Dragon Adventure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tiny dragon Tony and tiny dragon Loki have a bit of a playdate!

Long before Loki had burst into his life, becoming his partner in all sorts of nefarious and sweet (though saying so would make Loki turn up his nose with a stoic assurance that he was “nowhere near sweet, you foolish dragon”) deeds, Tony had his tower suited with a plethora of crawl spaces, tunnels, and small dens. The tunnels themselves were fairly large, tall enough that he could stand with a slight bend in his neck, though not wide enough to spread his wings more than a few inches on either side, but they didn’t make him feel claustrophobic. It was nice to have his wings tucked close as he wiggled through the narrower spots along the path, almost as if he were burrowing again. They were also perfect for when even tinkering on his machines didn’t alleviate his boredom because Jarvis was constantly shifting their trajectory, creating endless pathways for him to explore, and the dens were especially nice when he needed to escape the pressures of running Stark Industries or the responsibilities tying him to the Avengers. And he wanted to take Loki there, to share those safe spaces with him.

Tony tucked his wings close to his body and looked back over his shoulder, amused at Loki’s curious green eyes as they peered down various tunnels, oily tail twitching in interest, but Loki stayed close behind him despite his obvious desire to get lost. Tony tapped the tip of his tail against Loki’s cheek, chuffing to himself, and darted away when Loki tried to nip and him in retaliation. And Loki, not one to back down when a challenge was offered, gave chase.

The two dragons weaved through the labyrinth of tunnels. Tony of course found the going much easier as he was used to what little purchase the metal provided, but Loki’s nails slipped on the smooth surface and Tony began to pull ahead of him, disappearing around the next bend. Scrambling after him, Loki rounded the bend himself and slowed to a stop when he was greeted with an empty length of tunnel. Despite his heart dropping, Loki sniffed the air. Almost immediately he caught Tony’s scent, though he wasn’t sure if that meant Tony was close by or if he marked his scent along the path to tease him, but it was the only lead he had so he followed it.

His nails pinged off the metal and echoed down the length of the tunnel as he trotted on, turning this way and that as the scent got stronger or weaker. Loki grumbled to himself when he realized he had again followed a wrong path and, as he turned back to take another branching path, his wings ceased their agitated fluttering. Tony’s scent was incredibly strong here. He sniffed the wall and sure enough it was clear Tony had rubbed his flank along its length, helping to guide him. With his nose to the wall, Loki galloped through the tunnels, eyes widening when light appeared at its end. He again slowed as he neared it, taking a moment to draw in a large breath of pure Tony before stepping into the cozy den.

Tony quickly descended on him, growling and purring and twining their tails together in a show of love and congratulations for managing to find him, and Loki couldn’t help melting into him and the soft cushion they were cradled in. He had won their little game, and he couldn’t be more pleased with the cuddly outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the suggestion from the lovely reader AlwaysWithEntropy!


	19. Snapshot #19: Waking Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki awakes to find himself immobile, what could be the cause?

The morning sun melts over Loki’s skin and the god sighs, moving to roll onto his side but frowns when he finds himself unable to. With a few testing movements, he realizes that his arms are plastered to his sides and that fact is odd enough to bring him to the forefront of consciousness. Squinting against the light, he wiggles to escape the confines of the duvet; that is, until he hears a soft growl sound just above his head.

He pauses and glances up to find a crimson dragon perched atop the headboard, claws digging rivets into the dark wood. Upon closer inspection, he notes that the dragon’s eyes, though they are staring past him, look both exhausted yet incredibly wired, the tip of his tail flicking at the wall behind him, and Loki knows at once that Tony hadn’t gotten much sleep that night, if he had gotten any at all. For what reason, he could only guess, but, given the tightly tucked duvet, whatever it was had been enough to drive Tony to nest – something he hadn’t done since the Captain nearly decapitated Loki with his shield several months ago.

Keeping his voice soft so as not to startle the dragon, Loki calls out, “Anthony,” and immediately those striking amber eyes are on him. He wiggles a bit more despite the protesting growls and manages to free one of his arms. Reaching up, he stroke’s the dragon’s muzzle and offers Tony a small smile when he eventually leans into the touch, the obvious tension in his small form beginning to bleed away. “Whatever is the matter, my dragon?” he asks, stroking his thumb over Tony’s browbone. “Come to me.”

The headboard creaks in relief as Tony crawls down Loki’s extended arm to settle in the crook of his neck. Tony is quivering as Loki runs his fingers over the spines trailing down his back, guessing, “A bad dream?”

Tony nods against his throat before curling into a tighter ball and Loki manages to maintain a neutral expression as claws pierce his shoulder. The movement, small though it was, paired the compulsion to nest is enough for Loki to gather that the dream must have had something to do with him – the loss of him. He wonders if the dream version of himself had been whisked away from under the dragon’s nose or if he had simply ceased to be, leaving the dragon alone and confused, wondering where his partner had gone…wondering if he had been abandoned. His heart pangs at the thought.  

He turns his head to press a soft kiss to Tony’s forehead and whispers, “I am not going anywhere, Anthony. I promise you that.”

Though he can tell Tony still holds some anxiety, he’s relieved when he feels the dragon relax in his embrace.

They remain tucked together for some hours more, at least until Tony’s anxiety dissipates enough that Loki can convince him to share a light breakfast with him. With promises of food and cuddles in their shared nook, Tony happily agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am writing more frostiron to procrastinate writing my dissertation!
> 
> I am about 1/3 of the way through the entire thing, soon to be halfway, but my gosh the willpower to just sit down and write it is evading me.


	20. Snapshot #20: Paint-covered Pawprints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki tries his hand at painting and Tony manages to knock the canvas off its easel, what else is new?

With a final stroke over the canvas, Loki sticks a broad paintbrush behind his ear. He sets his palette aside, leans back, sighs, and examines his painting with pursed lips. The background is a soft beige with undertones of pink, making it almost roséin hue, and the bottom third is a slightly darker, warmer version of the shade, providing the illusion of a surface for the periwinkle vase to rest on. His eyes trace over it, following the curve up to where a delicate spattering of cream baby’s breath and pops of purple azalea bloom out of the vase’s long neck.

He sighs again as he pulls the brush free to toss it on top of the discarded palette.

While objectively not terrible, the colors appear flat and childlike to him, and such a description is not fit to be attached to a prince’s skillset. He knows Tony had meant well when he bought this bundle for him, hoping to give Loki something constructive to focus his mischievous energies on, but despite all that, Loki bristles at his creation. What’s the point if each attempt ends up simply mediocre?

With a frown, he smooths his hand over the flyaways that have managed to slip free from his bun, but when a wet sensation reaches his scalp, he pulls his hand away to find it covered in paint. Lovely.

His jaw tightens and he has to force himself to relax. He closes his eyes, draws in a deep breath, exhales, opens his eyes, then stands to prepare a (hopefully) calming cup of chamomile tea.

After he gathers the necessities and sets the kettle on the burner, Loki shifts to rest his hip against the counter, his eyes falling closed as he waits for the kettle’s whistle when he hears a soft rustling coming from the living room. He doesn’t even have to look to know its Tony on the prowl after his morning snooze – and it isn’t until he hears a thundering crash that his eyes fly open.

***

The only word that comes to Tony’s mind to succinctly convey his feelings at that exact moment is: _shit_.

 _Shit shit shit_.

All he wanted to do was sneak a closer look at Loki’s painting while he was off Norns knows where (probably making tea, if Tony knows him – and he does) and of course he had to mess that up. He misjudged the distance between himself and the seat of Loki’s stool and had to scramble for purchase, limbs flailing wildly; and to make matters worse, he didn’t notice the palette sitting on the stool before he jumped.

So here he is, picking himself off the ground, flank sore, ego bruised, and covered snout to tail in all colors of paint. He manages to cast one forlorn glance at the toppled canvas before he hears hurried footsteps, which can only mean that Loki heard him and is now heading his way. _Shit_.

***

Loki’s heart leaps into his throat when he comes in to find Anthony picking himself off the floor, shaking off his fall and splattering paint on the tile. He doesn’t even give the fallen canvas a fleeting glance as he rushes to Tony’s side, face taut with concern as Tony looks up at him with wide eyes. Before Loki can even speak, Tony lets out a pathetic whimper and begins clawing his way up Loki’s leg to his shoulder, small paint pawprints marking his path. Despite his concern, Loki levels him with an incredulous look once their eyes meet. “Really?”

Tony glances at the fallen canvas and then back up at Loki, chuffing. Loki sighs as he bends to pick up the canvas and set it back on the easel, frowning at the now muddled colors, but…it’s chaotic.

Tony’s tail flicks against his back, unsure at his silence, and Tony starts when Loki lets out a bark of laughter that quickly devolves into a full belly laugh, mirthful tears included. Now its Tony’s turn to look concerned, though more for Loki’s sanity than his physical health. He watches as Loki wipes away his tears while picking up the discarded brush to swirl his name in the bottom right corner, but when Loki then holds up the fallen palette in front of him, Tony only tilts his head.

“You played your hand in its creation, you must sign it as well,” Loki tells him, a smile in his voice.

Though he’s still unsure, Tony stamps his paw into the most vibrant patch of red he can find and Loki bends so he can press his paw against the canvas next to Loki’s signature.

“Perfect,” he says, and Tony can tell he means it. “Now, my dragon, to get you cleaned up.”

Loki presses a kiss to Tony’s paint-covered cheek, semi-dry by this point, and walks them to their bedroom’s ensuite.

Tony watches with unveiled interest as the large tub begins to fill and bubble with a commanding wave of Loki’s hand and only just manages to suppress a squeak when those same hands grip under his forelegs to place him in the tub.

As soon as his paws touch the water, however, it’s like a starter pistol went off.

Tony races around the edges of the tub, jumping and splashing until the bubbles are nearly over his head from how much he’s frothing the water. Loki laughs and just as he’s about to tell Tony to settle down, the dragon comes to an abrupt stop, his chest dropping as his tail goes up to flick the air. His pupils dilate to their full potential as his focus narrows in on an impressively large bubble on the opposite end of the tub. The dragon stalks his prey, edging closer…closer, until – pounce! claws extended, teeth bared, ready to relish in the satisfying burst signaling the bubble’s demise – only to sneeze when the soft scent of vanilla pops against his nose.

Tony blinks, and Loki, seeing this look of bewilderment written so plainly on the tiny dragon’s face, doubles over in laughter.

Loki pays no mind to the affronted huffing from the dragon, and instead turns toward the vanity, again wiping tears from his eyes, to strip out of his paint-covered clothes. A quick glance in the mirror reveals streaks of green and pink coloring the hair near his temples, and when he leans closer to tug his hair free from the bun, he huffs as even more paint become visible. The corner of his lips quirk when he hears soft chuffing emanating from the tub behind him. “You are no less of a mess, Anthony,” he says, whirling around to catch Tony standing on his hindlegs, forelegs hooked over the edge of the tub to watch him. Tony’s eyes slide up and down Loki’s body. There is an appraisal there, but one of satisfaction and pleasure rather than heat, and Loki feels his cheeks pink.

Leaving his clothes piled on the floor, Loki steps into the tub himself, and Tony dogpaddles over to him, the water level now high enough that his feet can no longer touch the bottom. Loki smiles and cradles the dragon against his chest. He grabs a nearby washcloth, wets it, and begins washing Tony’s scales, smiling as the globs and flakes of paint disintegrate in the hexed water.

They spend nearly an hour in the bath, enough time to get them both squeaky clean while still allowing time for splash fights and bubble bath cuddles. Such fun is followed, of course, by magically warmed towels and a bath time induced nap.

***

The painting now hangs in their shared nook, above Loki’s chair. Loki often glances at it before he sits down, book and tea in hand, and amidst the chaos of the splotched colors his heart warms when he looks at the bottom right corner where the elegant cursive of his name is paired with a tiny dragon pawprint, becoming a mixture of green and red where they meet.

As it should be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, a big boy chapter! This one fought with me a bit, but I think we got along by the end of it!
> 
> This chapter is based on the combined suggestions from the lovely readers Arcadii, silver_drip, and JoyLeaf41 - Thank you so much for your creative and fun suggestions!
> 
> PS. Thank you SO SO MUCH for 500 kudos! It means the world to me that people are enjoying these snapshots so much!!
> 
> PSS. I am officially halfway through writing my dissertation and I've even gotten some poetry accepted for publication as well as an academic blog series and gah! (I also really enjoy exclamation points, can you tell??(!))


	21. Snapshot #21: A Surprise Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony decides it's time to take his treasure out for breakfast.

Tony shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that Loki was a morning person.

He’d woken up often enough to find the Loki-shaped spot to his left ruffled, empty, and cold that he should have gotten some sort of inkling of Loki’s morning tendencies; but when he did confront Loki about it, he was told that waking early was par for the course for a mage. Tony had to suppress a shudder as Loki detailed his routine: rise with the sun, press a kiss to Tony’s forehead (okay, Tony had to admit that was at least sweet), try to coax the dragon out of bed, get hissed at (not so sweet on Tony’s part), leave to prepare a light breakfast, and finally curl up in his reading nook to wait for Tony to wake sometime around noon.

Loki looked amused as he told Tony this, even apologizing for leaving him alone in bed, but there was a slight tightness around his eyes that told him that Loki wasn’t a fan of lonely mornings either.

The thing was, Tony knew that breakfast was Loki’s favorite meal of the day. He knew this because, when Tony did wake, he was often met with soft requests for his signature over-easy eggs and toast for lunch, if only so Loki could share those morning pleasantries with him. Other times, when Tony would sequester himself in his workshop for hours on end, or perhaps overnight, to then return to the penthouse at odd hours, he often found Loki making porridge, pancakes, or waffles meant to satiate Loki’s mild sweet-tooth, Tony assumed. And on those exceedingly rare occasions where Tony was actually awake when Loki was, due to Pepper’s cruel tendency to schedule early morning meetings, Loki made omelets, a dish that took a little extra time and care, especially when Tony decided to be particularly picky, but Tony could see the deeper meaning behind them. Loki wanted to share breakfast with him, wanted to invite him to join him in something he so thoroughly enjoyed simply for its simplicity.

In short, Tony decided it was time to take his treasure out for breakfast.

He set aside a night dedicated exclusively to locating New York’s most perfect café for the absolutely amazing breakfast date he’d scheduled for the following morning. With JARVIS’s help, the search took hardly any time at all. When they’d finally narrowed the choices down to five, he had JARVIS pull up street-view photos of the outside – and he was struck by a flower-covered patio. He clicked on the image and more appeared to showcase their food and interior and Tony was caught by both. Tony sat back, a large smile on his face as he eyed the greenery, flowers and fairy lights of the café. He had JARVIS pull up the menu as an afterthought but when he read through it, it was decided.

“This is the one, J. Loki will love it.”

The AI placed their reservations and Tony had him set several alarms to wake him up on time, and though he was antsy, Tony eventually managed to fall asleep tucked into Loki’s side, his arm draped over the other’s pale waist.

A gentle buzzing woke him the next morning. He took his time waking, being careful not to wake Loki as he rolled out of bed to get showered and dressed.

Seeing Loki’s morning drowsiness shift to a look of surprise when he realized a freshly dressed Tony was the one gently shaking him awake was worth it. There was suspicion in his gaze, too, of course, as Tony then ushered him into the shower, rolling his eyes when Tony refused to answer any of his questions. Tony pat Loki’s ass and blew him a kiss before closing the bathroom door behind him and heading off to wait in the living room.

He didn’t have to wait long before Loki emerged from their bedroom, wet hair pulled back into an easy French braid, making Tony sigh as he envisioned the soft waves that were to come later that day when that dark hair dried. Loki simply smirked, as if reading Tony’s thoughts, before he spoke.

“Well, Anthony, I am ready, as you requested.”

Tony only hummed in response, standing to offer Loki his arm and smiling sweetly as the mage took it. He was honestly impressed with himself. He, Anthony Edward Stark, had managed to put a cork on his rambling anti-secret-keeping nature for the entirety of the elevator ride and ten-minute walk, and he relished that smile that spread across Loki’s face when he realized what was happening.

Tony shot Loki a cheeky wink as he held the café door open, Loki practically purring as he took everything in.

When they’d been shown to their table, Tony was happy to sit, chin in hand, to watch Loki peruse the menu. He didn’t hide his grin when Loki’s brow creased, seemingly passing over an item not to his tastes, and Tony’s grin grew to match Loki’s widening eyes when he reached the extensive omelet list, the main reason Tony chose this café. He ordered drinks for them both, Loki too engrossed in his internal debate over the omelet section to glance up at the waitress, but it wasn’t an issue. Tony knew what he liked.

They placed their food order when Loki was ready, Tony motioning for the waitress, and over the course of their breakfast date Loki talked animatedly about anything and everything, asking questions about Tony’s recent projects and whether Peter had narrowed down his top choices for college, the type of stuff Tony had missed out on during his many late-starting days. They only fell silent when their food arrived: two omelets, veggie-lovers for Loki and a classic Denver-style for Tony.

The look of pure bliss lighting up Loki’s face when the first bite passed his lips had Tony’s heart swelling. Loki looked so beautiful like this. A soft blush colored his cheeks when he caught Tony staring and it deepened when Tony reached over to stroke his fingers over the back of his hand.

They stayed like that, chatting with their hands intertwined, until it was nearly half the day had gone. Tony requested coffee and pastries to go before settling the bill, but he didn’t want the morning to end; so, he took a detour on the way home.

The park was quiet, making it easy to find a free space under one of the flowering trees. When they were settled, coffee and pastries placed between them, Tony leaned over to stroke a petal from Loki’s hair only to linger there as he cupped his soft cheek, thumbing over his cheekbone. Loki smiled in return, leaning into his touch and tilting his head to press a gentle kiss to Tony’s palm.

It made him melt and Tony promised that very moment to treat his treasure to breakfast dates more often.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it? I have been consumed by my dissertation, which is funny because my dissertation is about Gothic food/consumption. Ah, puns. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys like the new chapter! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so why not make it the same for Loki?


	22. Snapshot #22: The Highland Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Loki spot a familiar face when attending Scotland's Highland Games! Just who is that kilt-wearing blond?

“Oof!”

A hand smacks against his shoulder and jolts Tony’s freshly acquired, brewed and burning hot black coffee onto his hands. “Shit!”

Tony whips around to glare at the person responsible. “What the hell was that all about, Loki?”

He blinks when he catches Loki’s wide-eyed stare aimed not at him, but somewhere over his shoulder. Frowning, Tony shakes the spilled coffee from his hand and follows his gaze, his eyes widening as well when they land on the object of Loki’s attention. “Wait, is that _Thor_ ?”

It’s a stupid question, really. Even though the burly blond in question is bending down now, Tony knows that it can’t be anyone else, not with those long braids and huge glistening calves – hang on, is he wearing a kilt? Tony blinks and considers pinching himself because, yes, that is Thor wearing a kilt, a red and grey tartan, to be exact, the colors oddly reminiscent of his Asgardian armor. There are other equally burly, kilted men gathered in a half circle around him and Tony stares as the tallest one comes up to clap Thor on the back, laughing as the god curls what looks like a telephone pole onto his shoulder with ease, as if it were a twig rather than a full grown tree.

Shock has Tony changing his and Loki’s positions, his hand now wrapped tightly around Loki’s shoulder, shaking him almost violently as he asks are barrage of questions: “What is he doing here? Did he follow us or something? Maybe he’s competing – is he even allowed to do that? I mean, it looks like they’re getting on but the dude’s stupid strong, so how is that even fair?”

Loki simply huffs, rolling his shoulder out of Tony’s grip as Thor drops the caber in the center of the arena, dust poofing up when it lands with a dull thud. “As if I would know, Stark. I don’t waste my time keeping tabs on that oaf.”

Tony only just resists sticking his tongue out at the mage.

That being said, neither of them looks away from Thor, and, as if feeling the weight of their combined stare, Thor lifts his head to look right at them. The thunderer grins, offering a them a modest wave before one of the other men draw him back into conversation.

The loud speaker crackles to life then and an anticipating hush settles over the crowd. A pleasant Scottish lilt announces that the main event, the caber toss, is about to begin, so Tony grips Loki’s hand and drags him up to the rope fence, having spotted a perfectly situated viewing spot for the two of them. Loki crosses his arms across his chest as soon as they’re there, looking deliberately unimpressed as Thor takes his place in line with the rest of them. It isn’t like he hadn’t seen this brand of strength showmanship before. Thor had dragged him to plenty of strongmen competitions during their childhood, all of which Thor had been competing in himself, of course, and he knows all too well how pleased Thor will be when he surpasses the strength of those around him. Hopefully he and Tony will be gone before Thor can attempt to lord it over them.

At Loki’s brooding side, Tony is a startling contrast as he practically vibrates with anticipation. He eyes the two officials pushing the caber upright, whistling at its staggering height – has to be near twenty feet tall, he thinks. Tony grips the rope in front of him, completely focused on the first of the kilted men now stepping up to it.

The man tilts his head from side to side and shakes his limbs one final time before squatting down to wrap his fingers around the caber’s base and pulling up. Immediately, his face turns red from exertion and the crowd waits with bated breath as he takes his first step. Strained oo’s and ah’s soon follow as the caber starts to fall the wrong way, toward the stands, and the man stumbles back in an attempt to regain balance before realizing it’s a wasted effort, so he shifts tactics and charges forward, tossing the caber into the air with a bellowing cry.

It doesn’t even make a full turn.

The beam hits the ground with an unsatisfying plop, but the crowd cheers the man’s depreciating shrug anyway; even lifting the caber is a feat worth celebrating, so Tony cheers just as loud as the rest of them.

Loki fights not to roll his eyes at Tony’s obvious enthusiasm and continues to pretend that he isn’t interested, but he truly can’t help himself. It’s inevitable, really, when he finds himself holding his breath as each thrower has their go, groaning in tandem with the crowd as attempt after attempt fails to flip the beam end over end and cheering wildly when one of the mortal men finally manages it. He leans into Tony’s side, then, laughing and hooting with him, eager to replace old memories of Asgard with these new, happier ones. If he melts a bit when Tony wraps an arm around his waist, no one has to know, though the gentle squeeze he gets in return tells him that at least one person does.

When Thor finally steps up to try his hand at the toss, who’s to say that Loki used his _seiðr_ to make the caber heavier, on par with the great weight felt by the mortals when hefting it. A wicked grin spreads across Loki’s face at Thor’s surprised struggle.

It’s only fair, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boys are back in Scotland!
> 
> As I wrote on Tumblr, I went to the Highland Games in my area and was super excited to see some big burly men throw some trees around - I was not disappointed! Only three of the many dudes were able to even get a complete turn, and only one of those manage to land a perfect 12 o'clock toss. The crowds went wild! Hope you guys enjoy another slice of Scotland (:
> 
>  
> 
> ~  
> For those interested, I post this fic and other frostiron cuteness on tinydragontony!


	23. Snapshot #23: Laundry Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's laundry day in the Laufeyson-Stark household, do you know what that means? Fluffy warmth!

You would think that with all the money Tony Stark has to his name, he’d hire out every menial task he doesn’t explicitly have to do himself; and, for the most part, you’d be right. He has a few professional chefs on call, for example, just in case he has a particular craving at one in the morning for some overpriced but artfully plated filet mignon, or if Tony burnt one too many pieces of Loki’s favorite brioche French toast and needs to quickly satiate the god’s famished wrath. He also has cleaners, of course, that take care of the penthouse and the Avengers personal floors, and in Malibu he even has a pool crew working year-round to keep his saltwater pool in tiptop shape if he ever visits on a whim. But there is one “menial” task he leaves to no one but himself (or Loki, if Tony begs prettily enough) – laundry.

Laundry? Yeah, right, that’s probably the last thing you’d think Anthony Edward Stark, billionaire, (retired) playboy, philanthropist, would deign to do, but it’s true. There’s something hypnotically calming to his whirling mind to watch the clothes go round and round the barrel, sudsing up, though he must admit that his favorite part of the whole process is waiting for the drying cycle to end – and, oh, Tony could just melt thinking about the enveloping warmth of freshly dried linens.

Speaking of, that’s what he’s waiting for now.

He’s perched on top of the dryer, tail flicking back and forth while his amber eyes watch the machine’s timer as the last minute seems to tick away at an excruciatingly slow pace. Who knew a duvet would take so long to dry? Well, not dry, per se, it was dry to begin with. He had Loki put the machine on high heat and rotating every seven minutes in a sanitation cycle just so he could lay in a warm fluffy cloud. But why did it have to take so damn long?

 He snorts and gets up to pace, nails clicking along the dryer’s surface. Not much longer now.

He’s mid-turn when the dryer sings out its “I’m done, come and get all this warmth I have to offer!” alarm and he can’t help his excited whines and squeaks, practically vibrating as he waits for Loki to come and open the door for him. It isn’t five seconds before Tony thinks Loki is taking too long and starts bellowing in earnest, stopping only when an outwardly annoyed, inwardly amused Loki appears at the door.

“Cease your whining, dragon,” he says, rolling his eyes even as a soft smile curls his lips.

Tony whines again, bouncing on his paws. Loki sighs, feigning exasperation, and shakes his head as he steps into the room.

He soon grips the dryer’s door and pulls it open, laughing as a crimson blur darts into its warm recess. He bends down quickly enough to catch the tip of a red tail disappearing into the folds of the duvet as Tony buries himself in the enveloping cloud. He waits until Tony has turned himself around, amber eyes gazing adoringly into green, before asking, “Content, my love?”

Tony sighs, his eyes drooping half-lidded in warmth induced pleasure.

Loki smiles. “Then I shall leave you to enjoy it. Come find me when you’ve satiated yourself.”

Tony grumbles in response, already on his way to sleep.

Loki waits until the dragon’s eyes fully close before stepping away, being sure to leave the dryer’s door open for when Tony awakes. Soft dragon snores follow his exit.

 He picks up a book on his way back to the living room, and, upon sitting in his usual reading nook, a thought comes to him.

“Jarvis, take a photo of him for me, will you? His nose was poking out in a most adorable way.”

“Of course, sir.”

Pleased, Loki opens his book, reading the time away as he waits to be reunited with his freshly-dried-duvet-loving dragon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you folks have been waiting nearly a month for another update, sorry to keep you waiting! 
> 
> Buuuut...this means my Master's thesis is finally bound and turned in! Ended up being a lovely 55 pages and 16,300 words (the absolute max was 16,500 so I was cutting it close!) all dedicated the exploring the feminine culinary Gothic. I am definitely going to see if I can get a chapter or two published somewhere, I'm hopeful for Gothic Studies run out of Manchester. Who knows!
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I have plenty more that I'm working through so updates should be more frequent than they have been this summer.


	24. Snapshot #24: A Tiny Dragon's Bouquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When wooing a potential mate, what is the tiny dragon equivalent of giving your lover an aromatic bouquet?

“Anthony, what is all this?”

_You. For you. Like?_

Loki shifts his gaze from the gleaming pile of various shiny and expensive objects gathered at his side to the tiny red dragon who’s anxiously shifting from foot to foot close by, tail twitching and amber eyes wide and hopeful. Loki only blinks back.

Perturbed by Loki’s silence, Tony whines and noses the pile closer, thinking maybe Loki simply has yet to appreciate the full glory of this golden collection. As he does, a few of the objects fall from the end table and into Loki’s waiting lap. Brows furrowed, Loki’s deft fingers curiously glide over rings, loose pearls, the silvery braided thread of a necklace, platinum and gold credit cards, and – oh, so that’s what this is. Loki smiles.

“Yes, Anthony, I like it. You’ve thoroughly and properly wooed me.”

Tony immediately perks. He arches his wings high over his back as he chuffs and prances over the tabletop, all previous anxiety gone.

“Come and accept your prize for your successful endeavor,” Loki laughs.

Eager, the dragon leaps from the table and two human feet land softly on the plush carpet beneath them. Tony beams at him then, all teeth and exuberance, before he grips the arms of the chair and leans over Loki’s lap to press a kiss to the mage’s lips. Loki meets him halfway; and as Loki buries his fingers in Tony’s hair, Tony thinks that no treasure in the world can compare to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update so soon? Indeed! It's a short one but I think it's cute! 
> 
> Based on a prompt from my BFF, Tony compiles a stash of shiny objects in an attempt to woo over Loki more than he already has!


	25. Snapshot #25: A Few Bad Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, Loki is too caught up in his own mind, in his past, and Tony wants to help draw him back out.

Though the occurrences are now few and far between, there are still days where Loki finds himself curled up with a mile-long stare as his mind is ravaged by the past.

There was a time when Tony would have poked and prodded him, too, all in the hopes of turning Loki’s mind from those nightmares, but he’d learned his lesson months ago when he again found Loki curled up in his reading nook.

It hurt to see Loki staring vacantly out the window, both of his slim arms clutched around his legs while his knees cradled his chin. So, as Tony had often done in the past without much reaction on Loki’s part, he jumped into the mage’s lap.

His claws dug in a bit, perhaps even grazing skin as he sought purchase, not that it stirred Loki out of his thoughts. Then again, Tony didn’t seem to notice how Loki stiffened beneath him. It was when he lifted himself up, pressed his paws to Loki’s forehead, and raucously chirped and chuffed at him that repercussions hit him. Unfortunately, he didn’t see the startled hands flying at him until it was too late, and a sharp cry sent Loki hurtling back to reality.

He gasped upon finding Tony lying in a heap on the floor, one wing twisted at an odd angle, and swiftly dropped to his knees beside him. His hands shook as he gathered the tiny dragon into his arms, but his magic, at least, responded instinctively to the crisis, radiating soft wisps of green from his palms to repair the damage he’d unintentionally wrought. As his magic worked, Loki hugged Tony closer to his chest. His shoulders shook as he mouthed wet apologies against Tony’s scales, pausing only when he felt a cool snout gently press against his cheek. Loki pulled back enough to look Tony in his large, understanding amber eyes and, with another choked sob, he knew he was forgiven.

After that accident, Tony approaches Loki with more care. Tony gives him ample time to become aware and receptive of his touch before coiling up in the mage’s lap. It benefits them both, he notices, for Tony to act as a warm, grounding presence amidst the unseen turmoil roiling in Loki’s mind, because Tony knows that when roles are reversed, and they often are, Loki would, without thought, do the same for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I just write...mild angst?? I will be back to your regularly scheduled fluff in the future, I promise! This one was kinda asking to be included. 
> 
> This is also my first attempt at writing angst so I'm not sure if I did it complete justice.


	26. Snapshot #26: Flying Lessons a la Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony takes to the air to show Loki the ropes.

_Arch them a little higher, Lokes, or you won’t get the lift you want._

Loki rolls his eyes as Tony demonstrates what he means.

As if Loki doesn’t already know how it’s done.

As if Loki isn’t a competent shapeshifter with years of experience taking the shape of a dragon already under his belt—

He somehow finds himself watching anyway, unable to tear his eyes away.

The warm spark of Tony’s scales flames before his eyes as Tony shoots high into the air, wings arched and spread wide to catch the breeze. He poofs through the center of a passing cloud before lazily turning in the air, stalling as he waits for Loki to follow, and follow he does.

Loki arches his wings ever so slightly and lifts up, albeit slower than Tony had. He only realizes that he hasn’t adjusted his tail properly when a sudden gust buffets him, tugging at the delicate membrane of his wings. He instinctively tucks them against his body and falls into a sharp dive to escape the gale, barely catching Tony’s distressed chirping over the whipping air. Though he falls for what he knows is only a few seconds, when Loki unfurls his wings again, he finds Tony now leagues above him, a red blip against the blue sky that then grew larger and more defined as Tony dives after him.

Black wings beat the air as Loki twists to meet the other dragon. He locks their talons together as soon as Tony gets close enough and sends them both twirling through the sky with tandem shrieks of exhilaration.

Once they’ve had enough, Tony casts open his wings and falls into an easy glide. His larger wingspan, relative to their tiny size, is more than capable enough to carry them both, so Loki simply enjoys the ride by nuzzling against Tony’s underbelly. He huffs, amused, when he feels Tony’s pleased growl tickle his nose.

After a moment, Tony dips his head down to nudge Loki with his snout, a teasing voice then filling Loki’s head.

_Once more, hatchling, or was one breeze enough to put you off?_

Loki narrows his eyes and nips at Tony’s throat. He looks not unlike the cat who got the cream at the resounding yelp his teeth extracted, and he twirls away before Tony can regain his bearings enough to retaliate.

With a chuff, Tony chases Loki through the clouds; though it quickly evolves into a summersaulting dance. They dive below and soar above one another, meeting in the middle to intertwine before pushing apart again to leave intricate contrail patterns in their wake. It isn’t until Loki sees Tony’s wings start to droop that he surges forward to cocoon the red dragon within his own, tugging at the branches of the Yggdrasil to take them home.

Tony is already drifting off by the time they land on Loki’s pillow, so Loki tucks him under his chin before his eyes droop as well. Neither of them fights it, easily succumbing to the same exercise-induced sleep. Tony promised another “lesson” tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a suggestion from the lovely reader silver_drip who asked for some gliding lessons!
> 
> Sorry for the hiatus everyone, life has been kinda crazy these past few weeks, intensely so. But I do hope to be writing more often!
> 
> In other news, I joined the frostiron discord today, hope to meet some of my readers! I know I've already talked to a few (: I go by the same handle as my tumblr: tinydragontony


	27. Snapshot # 27: The Desolation of Tony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every Thursday is movie night in the Laufeyson-Stark household, and tonight they decide to watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. What will our tiny Tony think of such an imposing dragon?

If Tony is completely honest with himself, these Thursday movie nights are simply part of his master plan to lure Loki into evenings entirely devoted to couch cuddles under a shared blanket, at times with a bowl of popcorn balanced precariously on their knees.

Tony wraps his arms around himself and sighs wistfully. Soon, Tony. So very soon, but you have more to prepare.

He peers into the living room.

Glasses of ice water are already set on the coffee table and the blankets and decorative pillows are precisely arranged, meaning that the only thing Tony has left to do is to make popcorn as he waits for Loki to return from – Alfheim? Yeah, he thinks he remembers Loki saying that after breakfasting this morning. He said he needed to gather some particular herbs from one of the shops there or something and that he’d be back by movie time, and Loki is always punctual.

Unworried, Tony hums to himself and sets about gathering everything he needs: first, a large pot and lid, then two parts popping kernels, one part vegetable oil and one part sugar lightly mixed before igniting the hob. They both prefer their popcorn this way. It tastes better, fresher, maybe, though Tony likes to think it’s the extra pinch of love added to the pot through popping popcorn yourself that gives it that certain _je ne sais quoi_ ; and it’s a decent arm workout, besides.

But an arm workout doesn’t help him decide on a movie.

They could continue with Star Wars seeing as they’ve made it through two so far, but Loki said he was in need of a break, citing that he can only handle those flying machines (TIE Fighters, Lokes, we’ve been over this.” “Silence, Stark.”) for so long before their incessant screeching drives him mad. So what else is there?

Tony frowns and the kernels skitter in the oil as he swirls the pot.

Maybe they could watch something with a bit more action, or even an animated film. He’d heard good things from the kid about some animated Spider-Man movie that premiered last year. “Miles is so cool! And the music, Mister Stark! Asdfghjkl!” Tony grins to himself. He still has no idea how Peter managed to make that noise with his mouth, but an animated movie just doesn’t seem to fit his mood tonight, so maybe a com –

The first pinging pop of popcorn rocketing against the pot’s lid startles him from his thoughts. He swirls more aggressively.

No, action is the way to go, he thinks, maybe even something leaning more toward fantasy…

The swirling pauses.

What about The Hobbit?

It has action, it has fantasy, and, most importantly, it has dwarves and elves. Meaning, of course, that with this film Tony gets the perfect opportunity to ask Loki if those fictional representations are comparable to the real deal, which is an amazing cuddly story-time question. He’s already seen the first one and he knows Loki won’t know the difference if they start in the middle. Nodding, choice made, he swirls the popcorn until the last few valiant pops and quickly turns off the hob to prevent burning. He turns the pot over to dump the fluffy treat into a large bowl and casts over it a generous pinch of salt to offset the sugar he’d added to the oil. Loki returns as he tosses everything together.

Tony purrs as Loki presses up against his back to wrap those strong, leather-clad arms around his middle. It's sweet until he catches those lithe fingers snaking ahead to steal a handful of kettle corn and retreating before Tony can even think of flicking it away.

“Hey! Save that for the movie, tough guy.” He rolls his eyes and huffs when the only answer he gets is crunching in his ear, though he playfully bats at Loki’s cheek when the crunching is followed by a kiss to his temple.

Laughing, Loki pulls away. “I’ve missed you as well, my Anthony,” he winks. “Do you need help setting up?”

“Um, nah, I think I got everything.” Tony gathers up the bowl and starts walking to the living room. “Unless you want a drink, there’s some dessert wine in the mini-fridge, but there’s water by the couch.” He frowns a moment before – “Oh, J, get The Hobbit up and running, will you? You know which one.”

“Of course, sir.”

Loki follows after him, shedding his leather in exchange for comfy cotton, and soon they’re once again cuddled up together like they always are: legs intertwined, shoulders pressed together, popcorn resting snuggly between them as the movie plays.

 

And then there was _gold_.

 

Tony’s eyes widen as the camera pans back to further dwarf Bilbo against the massive hoard of treasure buried under the mountain. Heaps upon heaps of plates, goblets, saucers, jewels, and bones. Hearing the coins skitter under Bilbo’s feet is enough to send shivers up Tony’s spine. One glimpse of the Arkenstone is going to be borderline erotic at this point. Norns, to have that in his collection – _ngh_.

His mind is so caught up in the fantasy that he doesn’t see the dragon’s eye at first, not until he hears Bilbo gasp, and then the camera pans out again to show just how large this dragon is. Even the slightest huff from his nostril or shift of his tail causes a cascade of coins spanning the width of the hall. Bilbo tries to run, and Tony feels he would have done the same in the presence of a being so intimidatingly large, but the hobbit is inevitably caught, found out when the One Ring’s whispers grow too loud, though he proves to be quick on his hairy feet.

“I did not come to s-steal from you, O Smaug,” he starts, voice wavering as he suppresses a stammer. “T-the unassessably wealthy! I wanted to gaze upon your magnificence, to see if you really were as great as the old tales say.” He releases a strained laugh, his voice high as he says, “I did not believe them.”

The music flares and Smaug slithers away, back toward the center of the hall where he builds himself up to his full height to bear down upon the hobbit. “And do you _now_?”

Tony glances at Loki from the corner of his eye and something flares in his chest at Loki’s transfixed gaze, worsening when Loki’s whispered words follow: “Are there truly dragons that large on Midgard?”

For one moment, Tony thinks to curl up on himself, to grow smaller and smaller still until he becomes a miniscule ball, wings covering his eyes as he hides under the covers to escape the insecurities Smaug drudges up; but he decides to turn up his nose instead.

“Didn’t peg you for a size queen, Lokes.”

“Sorry?”

Tony huffs and works his jaw under the weight of Loki’s confusion before turning to stare at the wall, already berating himself for lashing out.

He bristles further when Loki says, “Jarvis, pause.”

The screen freezes on Smaug and Tony can feel Loki shifting beside him, but he doesn’t dare look, not when Loki’s voice is so soft in his ear, and those fingers in his hair are so gentle.

“What is wrong, my Anthony?”

Tony says nothing, eyes downcast. When he feels Loki’s arms wrap around him, he doesn’t fight being pulled against Loki’s chest, though he bites the inside of his cheek when Loki whispers, “I much prefer your size, you know.”

Before he can snark back, Loki is speaking again.

“I cannot hold a beast that size so close to me, like I can with you. Nor could I bend to shower them with more delicate affections.” As he speaks, Loki leans in to do just that, tipping Tony’s head back toward him and Tony shivers at the brush of lips against his brow. “No, I much prefer you as you are.”

Tony is quiet for a long moment, contemplating the truth of Loki’s words, but he knows them to be true. He can see it when he lifts his eyes to gaze into Loki’s, finding nothing save for love within their emerald depths. So, he buries himself deeper into Loki’s embrace, squeezing the mage tight and releasing a shuddering breath when Loki tucks him under his chin.

“Did you know that the film’s representation of elves is not so far off from the reality?”

Tony’s eyes immediately light up.

Loki smiles before carrying on with his explanations, the moment of insecurity soon forgotten amidst Tony’s eager questioning.

In the end, they decide to finish the movie, Tony now guffawing at Smaug’s arrogance, which Loki appreciates without making too much fun at Tony’s expense by telling him he hardly has room to speak. And later, in the aftermath of their cuddling session, popcorn scattered on the coffee table before them, they reenact the movie’s final scene.

Tony takes to the air, swirling around Loki’s head as his growling words resonate in Loki’s mind, punctuated by tiny bursts of flame: “I am _fire_. I am _death_.” And Loki responds in turn: “Yes, O Anthony, I quake in the presence of your absolute magnificence.”

Loki tosses a single popcorn into the air, laughing when Tony successfully snatches it in his talons to then land on his shoulder, happily crunching in his ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a suggestion from silver_drip, Tony gets a bit jealous of a larger dragon!
> 
> Hope I did the prompt some justice xD
> 
> As always, leave a comment or a suggestion if you'd like to see our pair in a certain situation, I keep a master document that I am slowly but surely working thru!


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